Bootee



July 6, 1948. E. E. GRIFFIN 2,444,822

BQOTEE Filed May 2, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,3 FEGJ.

INVENTOR.

EMMA E. GRIFFIN ATTORNE Y5 July 6, 1948. E. E. GRIFFIN 2,444,322

1300mm I Filed May 2, 1946 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 YINVENTOR. EMMA E. GRIFFIN I Y x WkM Patented July 6, 194

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE 1 Claim. (01. 36-11) This invention relates to improvements in footwear and it relates particularly to improved bootees for babies.

An object of the invention is to provide bootees which may be disassembled to facilitate washing and ironing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide simplified forms of bootees which may be provided with removable padding for protecting the babies heels.

Another object of the invention is to provide bootees which can be attached securely to the babies feet so that the bootees cannot be dislodged by the baby.

In accordance with the present invention I have provided bootees which comprise initially flat blanks of material such as, for example, fabric, pliable leather, or the like. Each blank may include a mid-portion adapted to form the sole of the bootee and suitable f oldable flaps on the lateral edges and ends of the blank that may be folded around the foot to form the side portions, the heel and the toe of the bootee and an ankle strap by means of which the assembled bootee is secured to the foot. The flaps may be secured together in bootee form by means of buttons and loops or buttonholes on the flaps, or by other suitable fastening means such as laces, snaps or the like.

The heel covering portion of the blank may be provided with an inverted pocket adapted to receive cotton or other soft padding material for cushioning the heels and ankles of the infant.

When the bootees become soiled, the flaps may be disconnected from each other in order to restore the bootee to its initially flat condition, and the padding removed from the pocket, thereby facilitating washing and ironing of the bootees.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a typical form of blank from which a bootee may be formed, in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank partially folded and secured; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank completely folded and secured to form the bootee.

The form of the bootee illustrated is susceptible to considerable modification in the shape and dimensions of the parts and in the type of material from which it may be made. A preferred form consists of a blank made up of two layers of fabric which may or may not have a lining of soft material therebetween. The blank has a around the ankle.

2 mid-portion II that forms the soft sole of the bootee. At the one end of the blank are a pair of similar oppositely projecting flaps I2 and I3 of generally right triangular shape having their bases connected to the mid-portion II of the blank and their right angularly related sides in alignment.

Connected to the blank between the bases of the triangular portions I2 and I3'is a rectangular strip of material I 4 which is joinedto the blank at its upper edge and its sides. The lower end of the strip I4 is not connected to the blank It) so that a pocket is formed for receiving padding material I5, such as, for example, cotton fibers. The strip I 4 and the underlying portion of the blank constitute the heel-covering portion of the bootee and the straps I2 and I3 are used to secure the assembled bootee to the infant's foot. One of the straps may be provided with a button It while the other has a loop or eye I! for connecting the ends-of the straps I2 and- I3 Immediately adjacent the ankle strap portions I2 and I3 and on opposite sides of the mid-portion II are a pair of generally rectangular in shape flap members I8 and I9 which have portions of their forward or lower edges 20 and 2| inclined forwardly and converging inwardly to form the sides of the bootee. Thus, when the flaps I8 and I9 and their inclined edges 20 and 2| are folded upwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these flaps cover the sides of the ankles, the sides of the arch and the toes.

The corners of the flaps I8 and I 9 adjacent the ankle straps I2 and I3 are provided with loops 22 and 23 which receive the buttons 24 and 25, respectively, on the outside of the ankle straps I2 and I 3.

The toe covering portion of the bootee may consist of a generally hexagonal flap 26, which extends outwardly from the inner ends of the converging edges 20 and 2I, having an end 21 Which is substantially parallel to the upper edge of the blank.

The outermost corners of the toe covering portion 26 may be provided with loops 28, 29, 30 and 3| which may receive the buttons 32, 33, 34 and 3'5, respectively, to complete the bootee, as shown in Fi 3.

Before the bootee is to be placed on the infant's foot, the padding I5 is inserted in the pocket I4 and then the ankle strap is fastened by the button I6 and loop H, as shown in Fig. 2. The sides are then attached by means of the buttons 24 and 25 and the loops 22 and 23. The end 26 is 3 then folded upwardly and fastened with buttons 32, 33, 34 and 35 and loops 28, 29, 30 and 3|, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired the sides and ends can be fastened first and then placed on the infant's foot and the ankle strap fastened last.

The bootee, thus formed, affords complete protection for the back, sole, sides and toes of the foot and is so arranged that the bootee cannot be kicked off by the infant because of the ankle straps i2 and 13. The padding l5 protects the back of the heel when the infant is lying down. When the bootee becomes dirty it can be laundered after removing the padding [5 and ironed nat.

These bootees are susceptible to considerable modification, for example, the parts which are illustrated as being angular in shape may be rounded or curved. Also, snap fasteners, zippers or other similar detachable fastening means may be used instead of buttons.

The appearance of the bootees may be modifled considerably by utilizing various types of materials such as, for example, quilted, decorated or plain fabrics of various types, and they may or plain fabrics of various types, and they may be provided with bows and other ornaments as may be desired. Also, the material used as a lining may be of a different color or type than the material forming the outer covering of the bootees to produce novel effects. Therefore, the form of the invention described herein should be considered as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A blank of flexible material for a baby bootee comprising a generally rectangular mid-portion, laterally extending generally right triangular flaps having their bases connected to said blank mid-portion at opposite sides thereof and their right angularly related sides in alignment with one end of said blank, said flaps being adapted to form ankle straps converging upwardly for securement of their corners together at the front of the angle, a rectangular strip connected to said blank between the bases of said triangular flaps and joined to the blank at its sides and at said one end of the blank to form a pocket, cushiong material in said pocket, a second pair of flaps connected on opposite sides of said blank midportion substantially contiguous with said triangular flaps, said second pair of flaps having generally rectangular outer end portions and inwardly and forwardly converging edges on the sides farthest from said ankle strap flaps, a substantially hexagonal flap connected to said blank mid-portion adjacent to said converging edges, the end of the blank md-portion between said converging edges forming one of the sides of said hexagonal flap, means for securing the corners of the triangular ankle flaps together, means for securing the rectangular ends of said second pair of flaps to said angle straps to form the sides of a bootee, and means for securing said hexagonal flap in substantially matching overlapping relationship to the inwardly and forwardly converging edges, of said second pair of flaps to form the toe covering portion of said bootee.

EMMA E. GRIFFIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,009,772 Merrick Nov, 28, 1911 1,104,357 1 Hassel July 21, 1914 1,289,289 Smith Dec. 31, 1918 1,895,270 Siragusa Jan. 24, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 299,249 Great Britain Oct. 25, 1928 373,491 Italy July 27, 1939 

